All good roads begin in.....Hucknall

Deja vu, anyone? This time last year a new Notts County side, led by a new manager, made the short trip to take-on Hucknall Town in a match that was supposed to herald a new dawn under Gudjon Thordarson.

Supporters were hopeful. A 2-0 win was largely workmanlike but the mood around the Notts County camp was one of extreme optimism. Again.

12 months later and so much has changed. But the mood hasn't.

We have yet another new manager, of course, albeit one that was greeted with distinctly less pleasure.

And, despite the vitrol shown by supporters following Steve Thompson's appointment, we still believe we can get promotion. We still believe - despite two seasons of immense struggle - that we are too good for this league.

County fans are a wounded breed. But as a species, we never learn from our mistakes. Try as we might, we are still hoping for a promotion - not letting stupid reality get in the way.

Messiah! Messiah!

And, if the NCM messageboard is anything to go by, fans have caught the optimism bug to such an extent that even a road trip to Hucknall is one to look forward to.

It's amazing what thirteen new signings can do!

One prime difference - optimists will point-out - to last year is this new squad. At this time last year, Thordarson was still having to play players that weren't his. Players that he didn't rate, who he would later ship-out during the season.

Thompson, already, has his own squad in place. Time will be the judge as to how these players perform, but at least it should cross one excuse of the recurring list in the Notts County Manager's office.

Of course, the new manager has been dealt a fantastic hand. Seven professional players when he arrived, the Notts boss bemoaned the fact that he would have to build almost an entire squad in just a couple of months.

Privately though, he should have been delighted. Handed an extremely competitive budget, the new man knew that he could attract players of a sufficent quality to persuade the County support to at least give him a chance.

His reception on his arrival was one of anger, due to his previous record when at the helm at Meadow Lane. Tomorrow, it is likely to be one of mild applause.

Like his team, he has a long road ahead. He still has a long way to go to be meeted with total approval. But we are a forgiving bunch. New signings? Yes, please. We like you now.

Without a solitary game behind him, Thompson is already changing fans opinions. A heavy win at Hucknall will not only help the team's preparation, but also fill the fans' heads with more hope. As his recent predecessors will testify, this is a very dangerous thing to do.

And, in 12 months time, we can only hope that the annual trip to Hucknall is the light warm-up game that it should be. And not one heralding yet another new era.

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Another advantage that the budget handed to Thompson has allowed is that already he has a squad of considerable depth.

It is this depth that will mean the Notts manager will play Sven Goran-Eriksson and will change almost his entire team at half-time tomorrow afternoon.

Today's arrival of Saul Deeney means he now has at least two specialists in every single position. A stark contrast to last season, where the Magpies played the entire season without a specialist right back.

All 13 of Thompson's new boys are set to feature, with teenage defenders Bobby Wilson and Tommy Hannigan likely to be the only absentees due to injury.

Midfielder Ian Ross - set to sign a six-month loan deal from Sheffield Utd - has an outside chance of playing, while former Magpies hero Tommy Johnson could line-up AGAINST Notts, if rumours circulating around Hucknall are anything to go by.